

Starting with a long and lyrical overture, evoking the origins of the Olympic Games in ancient Greece, Riefenstahl covers twenty-one athletic events in the first half of this two-part love letter to the human body and spirit, culminating with the marathon, where Jesse Owens became the first track and field athlete to win four gold medals in a single Olympics.

David Albritton
Self (uncredited)
LeadArvo Askola
Self (uncredited)

Jack Beresford
Self (uncredited)
Erwin Blask
Self (uncredited)
Sulo Bärlund
Self (uncredited)
Ibolya Csák
Self (uncredited)
Glenn Cunningham
Self (uncredited)

Henri de Baillet-Latour
Self (uncredited)
“A staggering achievement of craft and ambition. Leni Riefenstahl's vision lands with breathtaking precision.”
“Every frame feels alive. Olympia Part One: Festival of the Nations is the rare release that takes its audience seriously.”